"The revision of the EU ETS in July 2026 represents a unique opportunity for European aviation" (T&E)

The revision of the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) in July 2026 would represent "a unique opportunity for European aviation", if all flights departing from the EU could be integrated into the Emission Trading Scheme, according to a position paper of the European association Transport & Environment (T&E), released on 09/03/2026.

The proposal to update the EU ETS by July 2026 was announced by the European Commission when presenting its 2026 Work Programme, as part of its Climate package.

"Currently, the EU ETS only covers flights within Europe, accounting for only a fraction of European aviation emissions. Extending the scope to include all flights departing from the EU would incorporate an additional 80 Mt of CO₂ emissions into the scheme, compared to the current 64 Mt", stated the association.

Besides, "an extension of the scope would not only cover a greater amount of emissions, but it would also increase revenues from €3 Bn in 2024 to an additional €7 Bn. This increase in revenue would help to accelerate the decarbonisation of the aviation sector. The biggest beneficiaries of a…